Foldable pocket kit

ABSTRACT

A pocket kit device is disclosed including a handle incorporating a sheath for holding a scissors-like one or more tools pivotally mounted for movement between an extended, working position and a retracted, storage position and a protruding manually engageable pin or similar element. One particularly useful type of tool includes two arm portions pivotally connected to each other to provide scissors-like movement. The end portions of the pin which provides the pivotal connections are adapted to extend outwardly from the tool to protrude through recesses in the sides of the handle when the tool is in the retracted position. These protruding portions may be manually engaged with the thumb or finger to move the tool from the retracted position within the sheath to an extended position for use, and they constitute the manually engageable element referred to above.

United States Patent [191 Stahel 1 Jan. 16, 1973 [54] FOLDABLE POCKET KIT [75] Inventor: Alwln J. Stahel, New Brighton,

Minn.

[73] Assignee: Arthur Salm, Inc., Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Nov. 4, 1970 [211 App]. No.: 86,777

[52] US. Cl ..30/151, 30/90.1, 8l/9.5 R, 7/1 1 [51] Int. Cl ..I-I02g l/12, B26b 29/04 [58] Field of Search ..30/l51,l52,153,155,158, 30/159,143, 331; 7/16, 11; 132/76,2; 81/9.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,828,121 10/1931 Adam et a1 ..30/152 471,562 3/1892 Minnerly ..30/152 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 734,011, 3/1932 France ..132/76.2 615,799 10/1926 France ..30/151 7 Primary Examiner-Robert C. Riordon Assistant Examiner-Roscoe V. Parker, Jr. Attorney-Pendleton, Neuman,Willaims & Anderson 57 ABSTRACT A pocket kit device is disclosed including a handle incorporating a sheath for holding a scissors-like one or more tools pivotally mounted for movement between an extended, working position and a retracted, storage position and a protruding manually engageable pin or similar element. One particularly useful type of tool includes two arm portions pivotally connected to each other to provide scissors-like movement. The end portions of the pin which provides the pivotal connections areadapted to extend outwardly from the tool to protrude through recesses in the sides of-thehandle when the tool is in the retracted position. These protruding portions may be manually engaged with the thumb or finger to move the tool from the retracted position within the sheath to an extended position for use, and they constitute the manually engageable element referred to above.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION mary concern in designing a pocket kit including such I tools is to properly sheath them, to protect the user of the kit and his clothing from the sharp points and edges of the tool, as well as to maintain the sharpness and alignment of the pocket tool itself and to reduce thebulk of the tool when it is not in use.

A common practice is to provide a carrying member which functions as a sheath for the pocket tool in the retracted position as well as a handle for the tool in the extended position. One problem in designing such a pocket kit is providing manual accessibility to the tool when in the retracted position while maintaining the esthetic appearance of the kit. Further, the protection provided by the sheath for the tool and user should not be compromised.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a pocket device including one or more implements which may easily be engaged manual to be opened to an operative position or closed to a storage position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gripping element for a pivoted tool in a pocket kit implement where the element may be readily grasped to remove the implement from its sheath without compromising the functional efficiency of the sheath in protecting the user and his clothing.

A further object of the invention is to provide in combination a tool including a unique gripping element which does not interfere with the utility of the tool and a sheath for the tool including recesses through which the gripping elements extend whereby the elements may be manually engaged to move the tool to an operative position.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a pivotally mounted scissors-typeimplement including a dual function element adapted to'serve as the pivot between the arms of the implement and as the gripping element for the implement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The pocket kit device of the present invention provides one or more implements which are pivotally attached to one end of a carrying member including a sheath. One particularly useful type of tool includes two arms having functional ends, manual gripping ends, and a pivot element connecting portions of the arms intermediate the ends. Manually engageable portions of the pivot element extend laterally from the side of the tool through recesses in the sides of the sheath. These portions are grasped to move the implement from closed position within the sheath to the extended, operative position.

2 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pocket kit embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the pocket kit of FIG. 1, with the tool shown in broken lines in the closed position.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top view of the pocket tool of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the plane marked by the line 4 4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the closed pocket kit of FIG. 2. 1

FIG. 6 is a front view of an alternate embodiment of the invention showing a scissors and a blade in a pocket kit, both being shown in the closed position and incorporating the invention.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the embodiment of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-5, a pocket kit 10 including a sheath 28 and a scissors-type tool 12 is shown. In this embodiment the scissors-type tool 12 is a wire stripper, but it should be understood that the principles of this invention are applicable to any tool including knife blades, fingernail files, awls, and screwdrivers as well as tools embodying at least two arms with one arm pivoted about the other. The latter, of course, enjoy special and unique benefits from the invention.

The wire stripper 12 shown in FIG. 1 includes a first arm member 14 joined to a second arm member 16 by a pivot pin 18. Thus, pressing end portion 20 of arm 14 toward end portion'22 of arm 16 causes the desired cooperative action between head portions 24 and 26 of wire stripper 12. These head portions 24 and 26 may also be designed to act as wire shears, scissors, clip expanders, tweezers, clamps or similar devices utilizing two pivoted head portions. In a preferred embodiment a light spring 21 is compressed between the two end portions 20 and 22 to urge the head portions apart and facilitate one-handed operation.

End portion 22 of arm 16 has an apertured gudgeon 23 journalled on a pin 26 which is secured to a combination carrying case and sheath. 28 of appropriate size'for the wire stripper 12. The wire stripper 12 is folded into the case 28 by rotation of the device about pivot pin 26 until the stripper l2 lies in the closed position shown in FIG. 2.

Case 28 has closed sides 30, 32 and 34 and closed end 36 to form a sheath for housing the wire stripper 12. The top 38 of the case is left open to allow the device to be moved into a retracted. position within the,

sheath. The end 39, at which the stripper is pivoted, is left partially open to allow room for the arm 16 to be brought to the fully extended position.

A small spring 43 has a fixed portion 45 secured to the partial wall 39 and a cantilever portion 47 abutting the gudgeon 23. Gudgeon 23 has a cam portion 41 so shaped that the spring 43 willprovide a toggle effect and hold the tool either in the closed or the extended position.

Recesses 40 and 42 extend from the open side 38 part way into sides 30'and 32 of the case. With the stripper 12 in the closed position, pivot pin 18 protrudes from recesses 40 and 42 as shown in FIGS.

3-5. To move the wire stripper to the extended posi- 1 tion, the end portions 44 and 46 of pivot pin 18 are manually engaged and the wire stripper is lifted and rotated about pin 26 until the case becomes an extension of arm member 16 where it is held by spring 43. The end portions 44 and 46 of pivot pin 18 are covered or surrounded by caps 48 and 50 so that the pin may be more easily manually engaged when the stripper is urged from the retracted to the extended position and also to contribute to the esthetic configuration of the pocket kit.

Another embodiment of the pocket kit device is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in which a scissors 60 and blade 62 are combined in a kit 63. The front plate of the knife has been partially removed for clarity. Centrally located recesses 68 in the upper edge portion 57 of the faces 59 and 61 of a housing 71 provide access to the manually engageable pivot pin 73 of scissors 60 while the scissors is-in the retracted position. Similarly centrally located recesses 65 on the opposite edge 67 of the faces 59 and 61 provide access to the manually engageable pin 66 which has been secured to a central portion of a blade 62. The blade 62, for example, might be a fingernail file or a small screwdriver.

A further advantage of this functionally efficient invention is that the bottom of the recess 68 which receives the manually engaged pivot pin 66 or 73 limits inward rotational movement of the tools 60 and 62 so that when the tools are retracted, they do not strike the interior of the housing. Their alignment and sharpness are thus maintained.

The internal structure of the pocket kit may resemble aconventional pocket knife. The faces 59 and 61 are separated by shaped spacer springs 72 and 74 and the parts are held together with rivets '70. The spacer springs 72 and 74 provide spaces for the tools 60 and 62 and may also provide integral resilient portions 72a and 74a which engage cam-like portions of tools 60 and 62 and provide a toggle-like resilient action to urge the tools 60 and 62 to either the fully open or fully closed positions.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto since many minor modifications may be made which are within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention having thus been described, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A pocket kit comprising in combination a tool including arm members, housing means adapted to serve as a sheath for said tool, pivot means at one end of said housing means for supporting said tool within said housing means, and second pivot means pivotally coupling said arm members including manually engageable means protruding outwardly relative to said arm members of said tool, said housing means defining means for receiving said manually engageable means whereby said tool may be manually moved from a retracted to an extended position relative to said housing means.

2. A pocket kit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said housing means includes side walls, end walls and a bottom wall defining a sheath for said tool means, said side walls having margins defining an opening for receiving said tool means, said margins including recesses for cooperatively receiving said manually engageable 3 l l he kit of claim 1 wherein each of said arm members has first and second ends and a coupling portion intermediate the ends, said second pivot means being adapted to pivotallyconnect the coupling portions of said arm members to provide a scissors-type tool.

4. The kit of claim I wherein said manually engageable' means include end portions of said pivot element extending outwardly beyond the arm members of said tool.

5. The tool of claim 1 wherein said housing includes side and end walls defining a sheath for said tool, the side walls of said sheath including marginal portions having recesses adapted to receive said manually engageable means so that said tool is in nested relationship with said side walls of the housing.

6. The tool of claim 4 wherein said manually engageable means are adapted to extend outwardly from said tool beyond the side walls of said housing.

7. The pocket kit of claim 1 including resilient means urging said tool means to the closed position.

8. The pocket kit of claim 7 wherein said tool means comprises a first arm having an operative end and an actuating end, said actuating end being pivotally mounted in said housing means, and a second arm having an operative end and an actuating end, said two arms being pivotally mounted together at points intermediate their respective ends.

9. The pocket kit of claim 8 wherein spring means urge said actuating ends apart.

10. The pocket kit of claim 9 wherein the force of said spring means is related to and less than the force of said resilient. means to facilitate maintenance of said I tool in the closed position. 

1. A pocket kit comprising in combination a tool including arm members, housing means adapted to serve as a sheath for said tool, pivot means at one end of said housing means for supporting said tool within said housing means, and second pivot means pivotally coupling said arm members including manually engageable means protruding outwardly relative to said arm members of said tool, said housing means defining means for receiving said manually engageable means whereby said tool may be manually moved from a retracted to an extended position relative to said housing means.
 2. A pocket kit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said housing means includes side walls, end walls and a bottom wall defining a sheath for said tool means, said side walls having margins defining an opening for receiving said tool means, said margins including recesses for cooperatively receiving said manually engageable means.
 3. The kit of claim 1 wherein each of said arm members has first and second ends and a coupling portion intermediate the ends, said second pivot means being adapted to pivotally connect the coupling portions of said arm members to provide a scissors-type tool.
 4. The kit of claim 1 wherein said manually engageable means include end portions of said pivot element extending outwardly beyond the arm members of said tool.
 5. The tool of claim 1 wherein said housing includes side and end walls defining a sheath for said tool, the side walls of said sheath including marginal portions having recesses adapted to receive said manually engageable means so that said tool is in nested relationship with said side walls of the housing.
 6. The tool of claim 4 wherein said manually engageable means are adapted to extend outwardly from said tool beyond the side walls of said housing.
 7. The pocket kit of claim 1 including resilient means urging said tool means to the closed position.
 8. The pocket kIt of claim 7 wherein said tool means comprises a first arm having an operative end and an actuating end, said actuating end being pivotally mounted in said housing means, and a second arm having an operative end and an actuating end, said two arms being pivotally mounted together at points intermediate their respective ends.
 9. The pocket kit of claim 8 wherein spring means urge said actuating ends apart.
 10. The pocket kit of claim 9 wherein the force of said spring means is related to and less than the force of said resilient means to facilitate maintenance of said tool in the closed position. 